Profit-sharing sales-counter.



PATENTED NOV. 8. 1904.

H. HEPFER;

PROFIT SHARING SALES COUNTER.

APPLIOATIONIILED AUG. 14, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

gir mes PATENTED NOV. 8, 1.904.

H. HEPPER.

PROFIT SHARING SALES COUNTER.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.14, 1903.

2 SHEETSSE 2,

NO MODEL.

w i 2 4m UNITED STATES- Patented November 8, 1904..

PATENT QFFICE.

HARRY HEPFER, OF LANARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OLIVER M-DITSWORTH, OF- LANARK, ILLINOIS.

PROFIT-SHARING SALES-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,322, dated November8, 1904.

\ Application filed August 14,1903. S erial'No. 159,514. (No model.)

1'0 (tZZ whmn it may concern.- Be it known that I, HARRY HEPFER, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing atLanark, in the county of Carrolland State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Profit-SharingSales-Counter, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a devicefor stimulating trade by offering to customers a chance to share therebate or otherwise, such prize being awarded by a mechanism thatarrives at the awardingpoint after an indeterminate number ofoperations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the prize will be awarded only after the sale ofgoods of a predetermined value, the mechanism being operated, after eachsale to an extent proportionate to the amount of such sale.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofthis character that will at first be set or adjusted for operation bythe clerk or salesman and then operated by the customer, so that thelatter will be certain of obtaining the prize or rebate in the eventthat the machine arrives at the proper point while being operated bysaid customer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofsimple and economical construction in which provision is made for theemployment of a pair of indicatingdials, of which one is visible by thecustomer and the other by the clerk or salesman.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism whichcan only be turned or operated to an extent determined by previousadjustment and cannot be turned either forward or backward until asubsequent adjustment.

WVith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangementof parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, andminor details of parent panel.

ing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the 1 advantages of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly insection, of the profit-sharing sales-counter constructed in accordancewith the invention. Fig; 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the device on theeline 3 8 ofFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longiprofits or to obtain a prize in the nature of atudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the mechanism on the line 44: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a portion of the selectingmechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section on the line 6 6 of Fig.3. Fig. is a sectional view of a portion of the upper casing, showingthe door and its opening-spring.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figureslof thedrawings.

The operating mechanism of the device is placed within a preferablycylindrical casing 1, provided at each end with an indicatingdial, thesebeing designated by reference-numerals 2 and 3, respectively, and eachdial is provided with corresponding divisions and provided withappropriate designating-marks that preferably are of the form ofnumerals indicating values in dollars or fractions there-.

of. Over the dial 2 travels a pointer 4e, and over the dial 3travels apointer 5, these two pointers traveling in unison, but being movableindependently to zero position. Above the casing 1 is a casing 7, whichmay be rectangular in form. This casing is provided with'a hinged door8, movable to open posi-.

tion by a suitable spring 9. The door is provided with a transparentpanel 10 and on its inner face has a suitable clasp or other securingdevice to receive and hold the prize, which may be displayed through thetrans- This door is provided with a suitable keeper 12, with whichengages the catch or dog 13, carried by a pin 14, that is mounted inbearings in a suitable bracket 15, carried by the casing 7. The pin issurrounded by a torsion-spring that normally tends to move the dog orcatch from engagement with the keeper, and when this occurs the doorwillopen under the influence of the spring and F that the arm 31 and thepointer 4c are both in permit the removal of the prize, which may be inthe form of money, a check, or other token representing value. The dogor catch rests on a periphery of a wheel 20, and said Wheel has a singlenotch 21, which must be moved into alinement with the dog or catchbefore thelatter is allowed to descend and permit opening of the door.This wheel or disk 20 is moved after each purchase to an extentdependent on the amount of such purchase, so that the prize will at alltimes represent a given percentage of the amount of cash taken in.

The Wheel 20 is rigidly secured to a shaft or arbor 22, or it may beheld in position by a suitable spring-washer 23 in order to permit anydesired manual adjustment of the position of the Wheel or disk withoutrendering itnecessary to turn the gearing by which such wheel or disk isactuated.

On the shaft or arbor is rigidly secured a worm-wheel 25, with whichintermeshes a worm 26, mounted on a hollow shaft 27, held in a suitableframework 28, that is secured to the rear face of one of theindicating-disks in order to facilitate assemblage of the parts. Theshaft 26 forms in part a bearing for a main arbor 26, the opposite endsof which extend through the frame members, and one end of said arborextends through the disk 2 and carries the hand or pointer 4:. Near theopposite end of the main arbor is secured a friction-disk 27, adapted tofrictionally engage the hub portion of a gear-wheel 28, through whichinitial movement is imparted to the apparatus.

The gear-wheel 28 is provided with a number of perforations or notches29 for the reception of a selecting-pin 30, carried by aradially-disposed arm 31, and through which the mechanism is set formovement to an extent dependent on the amount of the sale. These notchesor perforations are equidistantly spaced,and under ordinarycircumstances each will represent a value of one dollar, so when theselecting-arm is turned to a position in accordance with the amount ofthe saleitmay engage a notch or perforation representing that amountnearest the amount of cash paid.

On the end of the main arbor 26 is mounted a sleeve 32, Which extendsout through a cenand the main arbor and its hollow shaft will i beclutched together To the outer convenient reach of the clerk or anoperating-knob 3st, and it being for mutual movement.

salesman is understood end of the sleeve 32and within radial alinementthe clerk or salesman to impart a movement to the device in accordancewith the amount of the sale will exert pulling strain on the knob andthe sleeve, and thus withdraw pin 30 from engagement with any 1 one ofthe notches or perforations which it I l i l selected notch or recess.tral opening in the dial 3 and carries the hand may have entered andwill turn the same clockwise until the pointer indicates an angularmovement proportionate to the sale, and thus enters, after release ofthe knob, the pin 30 in a selected notch or perforation. Thisconstitutes the selecting mechanism, and as each notch or perforationrepresents a predetermined unit of valueas, for instance, one dollar-theclerk or salesman may readily determine the extent of movement of theselectingarm necessary to effect a corresponding angular movement of thelocking wheel or disk 20.

On the frame is pivoted a pawl 35, that engages the teeth of thegear-wheel 28 and at all times serves to prevent backward movementthereof. The frame also carries a stop pin or lug 36 at the same radialdistance from the axis of the main arbor as the annular row of notchesor perforations, so that when the selecting-arm has been released andthe pin 30 allowed to enter one of the notches or perforations itsmovement will be stopped by contact of the pin 30 with the pin or lug 36at the completion of the predetermined movement, and gear 28 will thusbe locked from movement in one direction by the pawl 35 and in theopposite direction by the engagement of pin 30 with the stop pin or lug36.

The frame is further provided with bearings for the support of atransversely-extending shaft 38, on which is mounted a pinion orcrown-gear 39, the teeth of which intermesh with those of the gear 28,and said pinion is clutched to its shaft by means of a torsionspring4,0, so as to permit yielding movement when the cranl'r-shaft is turnedin the wrong direction. This crank shaft extends out through a suitableopening in the cylindrical wall of the casing and is provided with ahandcrank 41 to be manipulated by the customer.

In the operation of the device as thus far described the salesmanoperates the selectingarm by pulling on the operating-knob and turningthe arm until pin 30 is opposite the The arm is then released, and theconipression-spring serves to force the pin 30 into the selected notchor perforation, it being noted that at this time the movement in outwarddirection of the knob has unclutched thedisk of the main all or from thehub of wheel 28, so that the selecting movement will not be indicated onthe dial 2, but will only be indicated on the dial 3. The

purchaser, or in some cases the clerk, then turns crank a]. until thehand or pointer 5 reassumes the initial or zero position, and duringthis time the compression-spring keeps the clutching-disk in engagementwith the hub of the gear-wheel 28, so that the main arbor receivesmovement to a corresponding extent and the hand or pointer 4, carriedthereby,

will be traveled over the dial 2 to an extent.

corresponding to the selecting movement of arm 31, thus indicating tothe purchaser that the device has been turned to an extent correspondingwith the amount of his purchase, and this hand or pointer I will remainin position until such time as the selecting-arm is again operated on asubsequent purchase, this being due to the fact that the clutch-disk ofthe main arbor is still held in operative engagement with the gear 28 bythe stress of the compression-spring.

In order to return the hand or pointer I of the customersindicating-disk to its initial position, the main arbor is provided witha pinion 50, and with this pinion engages a small gear-wheel 51, mountedon astationary stud or pin carried by the frame. This stud or pin servesalso as a support for a torsionspring 53, of which one end is secured tothe stud and the opposite end to the gear-Wheel. The rotative movementof said gear-wheel is limited by providing said wheel with an elongatedtooth 54: that comes into contact with the teeth of the pinion, so thatsaid gear can never make a complete rotation and in the event ofbreakage of any of the other parts of the mechanism it will beimpossible to effeet the unlocking of the prize-awarding device bycontinued turning of the operatingcrank.

It is obvious that the apparatus may be employed in connection withmechanisms of various character for registering or indicating the amountof sales, such as ordinary cashregisters, fare-indicators, and the like;but as at present constructed, it is designed more especially as anindependent machine for the purpose of attracting and stimulating tradein retail stores, where a customer will be awarded a prize at the end ofa predetermined amount of sales.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a deviceof the class described, a mechanism operable to an extent proportionateto the amount received, a selecting means for determining the extent ofmovement of such mechanism, and a prize-awarding mechanism controllableby said mechanism.

2. In a device of the class specified, a normally locked prize-holdingdevice, a manually-manipulated releasing mechanism, and a selectingmeans for determining the extent of movement of such releasingmechanism.

3. In a device of the class described, anormally locked prize-holdingmeans, a manually-manipulated releasing mechanism, a se-v lectingmechanism for determining the extent of movement of said releasingmechanism, and means for indicating the extent of such movement.

. it. In a device of the class described, a normally lockedprize-holding device, a lockingcatch therefor, a revoluble disk forholding the catch in locking position, said disk being provided with areleasing-notch, and means for turning said disk for angular distancesdetermined by the amount of sales.

5. In a device of the class described, a prizeholding means, alocking-catch therefor, a revoluble disk having a notch for thereception of said catch, means for revolving the disk, and means fordetermining and inclicating the extent of movement of said disk.

6. In a device of the class described, a normally locked prize-holdingmeans, a notched disk for releasing said means, mechanism for revolvingthe disk, anda pair of indicating-M dials of which one keeps a record ofprevious movements of the disk between intervals of adjustment of thedisk-operating mechanism.

7 In a device of the class described, a normally locked prize-holdingmeans, a notched disk controlling the same, an operating mechanism forsaid disk, a pair of indicating-disks, hands or pointers adapted totravel over said disks, and means forclutching the pointer-carryingmembers to each other for mutual movement. v

8. In a device of the class described, a se- --lecting means, anindicating-disk, a pointer movable over the disk to indicate the extentof angular movement of the selecting means, a second indicating-disk,and a hand or pointer connected thereto and serving to register .theextent of movement of said selecting means and the first hand or pointerduringthe returning movement of the latter to Zero posi-.

tion. v

9. In a device of the class specified, a pair of indicating-disks, handsor pointers adapted to travel over said disks, means for connecting thetwo hands or pointers for mutual movement, and means for adjusting theposition of the initial hand or pointer whereby movement of said initialhand or pointer from its adjust,- ed position to zero will operate thesecond hand or pointer and registerthe extent of such movement.

10. In a device of the class specified, a pair of indicating-disks,pointers adapted to travel over the same and connecting means betweenthe two pointers whereby movement of one pointer from an adjustedposition to zero will result in a registering movement of theotherpointer. 1

11. In a device of the class specified, a pair of indicating disks ordials, pointers moving thereover, means for adj usting the position ofthe first pointer, means for turning the first pointer from its adjustedposition to zero, and means for connecting the two pointers whereby themovement of the first will result in a correspondingregistering-movement of the second.

12. In a mechanism of the class described,

a pair of indicating disks or dials, pointers movable thereover, meansfor clutching the pointers together for mutual movement, and means forreturning the secondary pointer to zero position on the unclutching ofthe two pointers.

13. In a mechanism of the class described, a pair of indicating disks ordials, hands or pointers movable thereover, means for manually movingthe lirst pointer to an initial indicating position and for returningthe same to Zero position, means for connecting the two pointers formutual movement during the movement of the initial pointer toward zero,and an independent means for automatically restoring the secondarypointer to Zero position.

14. In a mechanism of the class described, a pair of indicating disks ordials, pointers movable thereover, a main arbor carrying one of thesepointers, a hollow shaft mounted on the main arbor, a gear carried bythe hollow shaft and provided with an annular row of perforations, meansfor clutching the hollow shaft to the main arbor, a sleeve mounted onsaid main arbor, a selecting-arm carried by the sleeve and having a pinadapted to enter a selected perforation, a spring normally maintainingthe pin in adjusted position, an initial pointer carried by the sleeveto permit manual adjustment thereof, and a crank-shaft havingagearconnection withsaid gear-wheel.

15. in a mechanism of the class described, a pair of indicating disks ordials, a main arbor, a hand or pointer carried thereby and movable fromone of the dials, a hollow shaft mounted on the arbor, a gear-wheelsecured to said shaft and provided with an annular series ofperforations, a hand-crank geared to said wheel, a pawl for preventingbacluvard movement of the gear, a sleeve mounted on the arbor, aselectingarm carried by the sleeve and having a pin adapted to enter anyone of the perforations, a clutch-disk carried by the arbor and adaptedto engage against the hub portion of the gear-wheel, a springsurrounding the sleeve and tending to force the disk into clutchingposition, a pointer carried by the sleeve, and a knob also carried bythe sleeve to permit manual adjustment thereof.

1.6. 1n a mechanism of the class described, a pair of indicating disksor dials, hands or pointers movable thereover, a main arbor carrying oneof the pointers, a hollow shaft encircling the main arbor, a gear-wheelcarried by the hollow shaft and provided with perforations, means forrevolving said gearwheel, a pawl for preventing movement of saidgear-wheel in one direction, a frictionclutch disk carried by the mainarbor and adapted to frictionally engage the hub portion of thegear-wheel, a sleeve carried by the arbor,a selecting-arm secured to thesleeve, a pin carried by said arm and adapted to enter the perforations,a stop pin or lug secured to the main frame and serving to limit themovement of the selecting-arm, a spring encircling the sleeve andserving to force the friction-disk into engagement with the gearwheel,said sleeve carrying one of the pointers, and a knob also carried bysaid sleeve.

17. in a mechanism of the class described, a pair of indicating disks ordials, pointers movable thereover, a main arbor carrying one of thepointers, a hollow shaft operatively connected to the second pointer, aclutching means between the hollow shaft and the arbor, means forrevolving said hollow shaft, a pinion carried by the arbor, a gearintermeshing with the pinion, and a spring subjected to the torsionalstrain during the registering movement of the machine, said springserving to return the main arbor and its pointer to initial positionwhen the clutching mechanism is released.

in testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY H EPFER. Witnesses:

J. H. JooHUM, Jr., J. Ross CoLHoUN.

